Volcanic Eruptions and Geological Features

What are the primary sources of the immense heat found within Earth's interior?

• Solar radiation absorbed by the crust and mantle.

• Heat left over from Earth's formation and the decay of radioactive elements.

• Friction caused by the movement of tectonic plates.

• Chemical reactions between water and rock in the mantle.

How is Earth's crust described in terms of its strength compared to the planet's interior?

• It is a thick, impenetrable shield protecting the interior.

• It is a solid, unmoving layer that contains all life.

• It is a fragile barrier, like an apple skin around a flaming core.

• It is a flexible layer that easily adapts to internal pressures.

What are some of the potential global consequences of a supervolcano eruption?

• Increased global temperatures and rapid ocean expansion.

• Centuries of climate change in a single year, toxic ash, and gases.

• Formation of new mountain ranges and deeper ocean trenches.

• Immediate creation of new landmasses and fertile soil.

What are the two primary geological sources responsible for the formation of volcanoes on Earth?

• Earthquakes and tsunamis.

• Weather patterns and ocean currents.

• Tectonic plate boundaries and mantle plumes.

• Asteroid impacts and solar flares.

When an oceanic plate is forced beneath a continental plate, what happens to the oceanic plate as it descends into the Earth's interior?

• It immediately melts into liquid magma due to high temperatures.

• It remains solid due to immense pressure, despite high temperatures.

• It breaks apart into smaller pieces that float on the asthenosphere.

• It causes the continental plate to sink along with it.

How does the presence of water contribute to the formation of magma when a tectonic plate is submerged into the hot underworld?

• Water cools the rock, making it brittle and easier to break.

• Water triggers chemical transformations that allow portions of the rock to melt.

• Water increases the pressure, forcing the rock to become liquid.

• Water acts as a lubricant, allowing solid rock to flow like a liquid.

What are mantle plumes?

• Large underground lakes of molten rock.

• Columns of abnormally hot rock that rise from the core-mantle boundary to the surface.

• Areas where tectonic plates are pulling apart, creating new crust.

• Regions of the Earth's crust that have been thinned by erosion.

What does the Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI) primarily measure?

• The height of the volcanic ash cloud.

• The temperature of the lava ejected during an eruption.

• The volume of material ejected during a volcanic eruption.

• The frequency of volcanic eruptions in a specific region.

What immediate effects can a large volcanic eruption have on the environment and human life?

• Increased crop yields and warmer summers.

• Smothered skies, crop failure, and widespread famine.

• Clearer skies and longer growing seasons.

• Rapid population growth due to fertile soil.

What is the scientific classification of the term "supervolcano"?

• It is a recognized scientific term for extremely large volcanoes.

• It is a media term and not a scientific classification.

• It refers to volcanoes that erupt frequently.

• It describes volcanoes that are located in space.